Closure-seal



Mardi 1, 1966 H. s. RoTHl-:NBERG 3,237,638

cLosURE-SEAL Filed Dec. 28, 1964 w l.' f

xmxx ,www ,n j f 22 rra/QMS United States Patent O 3,237,638 CLOSURE-SEAL Howard S. Rothenberg, Pomona, Calif., assignor to General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 421,335 4 Claims. (Cl. 137-319) This invention relates to removable closure means for sealing openings and a method for installation of same; and more particularly to removable closure-seal means for chambers which are sequentially evacuated and pressurized and to a method of installation thereof.

It is well known in the art that there are many problems which arise when it is desired to provide a closure-sealing means in a container opening that can be removed and replaced without damage thereto or without loss or contamination of the media within the container. This problern is increased where containers are required to be vacuum evacuated, lback filled, and maintained at the back filled pressure.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a closure-sealing means and a method of installing same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closureseal and a method of removing and replacing same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closureseal member for a container and the method of removing and replacing same whereby the container can be vacuum evacuated and back lled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closureseal means for a container which is required to be evacuated and filled and to provide apparatus for removing and replacing the closure and seal means withoutcontamination thereof.

Other objects of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view partially in cross-section of an embodiment of the closure-seal member of the invention as installed in a container according to the inventive method;

FIG. 2 is a view partially in cross-section showing apparatus for carrying out the method and with the closureseal member positioned for evacuating or lling the container; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the closure-seal member positioned for sealing the container.

The invention relates to an evacuating stem arrangement for a container, the arrangement including an internally threaded adapter disposed in an evacuating opening in the wall of a container. An externally threaded closure or plug having an O-ring packing or seal is threadedly disposed within the adapter. A tubular evacuating stern is temporarily threadedly attached to the yadapter the stern including internal threads forming a continuation of the adapter threads, and further including a side opening for communicating with an evacuation pump. In operation, the closure or plug is turned back by unscrewing same within the adapter and stem until the stem side opening is exposed. This allows the container to be evacuated through the communicating openings and back filled, if desired, after which the plug or closure is reseated in the adapter to seal the container, and the stem is removed to leave only the adapter and plug in the container wall.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. l shows a container defining a vacuum tight chamber 11 with an insert 12 bonded or otherwise lixed to container 10 by material 13 to provide a vacuum tight seal therebetween. Insert 12 is provided with internal threads at one end to receive a threaded plug or closure member 14. Plug 14 includes a reduced diameter portion 15 which is adapted to tit with- 3,237,638 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 ICC in a reduced diameter portion 16 of insert 12. A sealing member such as O-ring 17 is positioned in a groove 18 in reduced diameter portion 15 of plug 14 and forms a vacuum tight seal with the portion 16 of insert 12. Plug 14 additionally includes a slot 19 in one end thereof by which the plug may be rotated. A sealant, such as vacuum wax, glyptol, etc., if desired, may be used to seal plug 14 to insert 12 for preventing the plug from working its way out of insert 12 due to vibrating, etc. Insert 12 is provided with an internal tapered portion or seat 20 interconnecting portion 16 and the larger diameter portion thereof. The larger diameter portion contains external threads 21 and internal threads 22 which cooperate with a coupler tool 23. Although insert 12 has been shown as being bonded or welded to container 10, it may be threaded into the aperture in the container and sealed by appropriate material to provide a vacuum seal therebetween.

Coupler tool 23 illustrates an embodiment of a device for inserting and/ or withdrawing plug 14. Various other configurations may be used which, for example, include an apparatus adapted to be mounted on the container for support during container evacuation operation and which is readily disassembled.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, coupler tool 23 comprises a tubular body 24 having a longitudinally extending threaded aperture 25 adapted to align with the internal threads 22 of insert 12; an internally threaded end portion 26 of larger internal diameter than threaded aperture 25 adapted to cooperate with external threads 21 of insert 12; an externally threaded end portion 27; and a portion in the end of body 24 adapted to receive an O-ring type seal 28. A passage 29 is located in tubular body 24 which interconnects aperture 25 with a vacuum/back ll tube 30 which is shown attached to body 24 by a vacuum tight seal effected as by welding indicated at 31, or by other conventional methods. A knurled nut 32 is threadedly attached to the external threaded portion 27 of tubular body 24 and abuts O-ring 28 to form a seal therebetween. Nut 32 is provided with an aperture 33 through which a tool is extended to engage slot 19 of plug 14 for moving plug 14 with respect to insert 12 and tubular body 24. An O-ring sealing member 34 is positioned between insert 12 and tubular body 24 to provide a seal therebetween.

In operation, with the plug 14 positioned in insert 12, and with the sealant material, if utilized, removed, coupler tool 23 is attached to plug 14 via threaded portions 21 and 26 as shown in FIG. 3, and tube 30 is connected to the Vacuum/ back ll equipment (not shown) but well known in the art. A tool such as a screw driver is inserted through aperture 33 of nut 32 and aperture 25 of body 24 and ts into slot 19 of plug 14. Turning motion of the tool retracts plug 14 along threaded aperture 25 until the head portion thereof abuts O-ring 23 thus providing a vacuum tight seal and interconnecting chamber 11 of container 10 with vacuum/back ll tube 3) as shown in FIG. 2. The chamber 11 may then be evacuated as desired and back lilled if desired to a pressure equal to or greater than ambient. If -it is desired to retain chamber 11 under vacum conditions, plug 14 is turned inwardly by the tool while the evacuating equipment is operating whereby O-ring 17 forms a vacuum tight seal against the internal surface of the reduced diameter portion 16 of insert 12 as shown in FIG. 3. If it is desired to back ll the chamber 11, the plug 14 is turned inwardly while maintaining the back till pressure whereby O-ring seats against portion 16 of insert 12 thereby retaining the desired pressure within chamber 11. With plug 14 seated in insert 12, the tube 30 is disconnected from the vacuum/back ll equipment and coupler tool 23 is disconnected from insert 12 thus leaving the closure-seal member inserted in container as shown in FIG. 1. Note that the internal configuration (taper 20) of insert 12 assists in the compression and seating of O-ring 17 within the reduced diameter portion 16 of the insert.

It has thus been shown that the present invention provides a simple yet effective closure-seal means for a container which can readily be connected to a vacuum/ back fill apparatus without loss or contamination of the material going into or out of the container.

While a specific embodiment of the closure-seal member and tool for the installation and/or removal thereof has been illustrated and described, modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. Mechanism for removably sealing a container comprising: an insert member having two portions of difierent diameters, the first of lsaid two portions being provided with at least internal threads, the second of said two portions being adapted to be mounted in an associated container; a closure means having a threaded head portion adapted to movably cooperate with the internal threads of said first portion of said insert member, and a reduced diameter portion adapted to move within said second portion of ysaid insert member, said reduced diameter portion of said closure means including a groove therein, and means adapted for moving said closure means; and a seal member positioned in said groove and adapted to cooperate with said second portion of said insert member for forming a seal therebetween.

2. The mechanism defined in claim 1, additionally including removable apparatus for removing or installing said closure means, said apparatus including a body member having an internally threaded passageway adapted to define an extension of said internal threads of said first portion of said insert member; means for retaining the internally threaded passageway of said body member aligned with the internal threads of said insert member; means for providing a seal between said insert member and said body member; said body memf ber being provided with a passage intermediate the ends thereof and interconnecting said threaded passageway with the exterior of said body member; whereby said closure means may be moved through said internally threaded passageway of said body member so as to connect or disconnect a flow -path between said second portion of said insert member and said passage in said body member.

3. The mechanism dened in claim 2, additionally including means for sealing said internally threaded passageway when said closure means is positioned so as to connect the fiow path between said insert member and said body member passage.

4. The mechanism defined in claim 2, additionally including means operatively connected .to said passage and adapted to be connected to vacuum/back fill equipment for evacuating and/or back filling an associated container connected to the insert member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1927 Raalte 251-216 8/1952 Nichols s 141-66 References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS ISADOR WEIL, Prmary Examiner.

D. MATTHEWS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. MECHANISM FOR REMOVABLY SEALING A CONTAINER COMPRISING: AN INSERT MEMBER HAVING TWO PORTIONS OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS, THE FIRST OF SAID TWO PORTIONS BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST INTERNAL THREADS, THE SECOND OF SAID TWO PORTIONS BEING ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN AN ASSOCIATED CONTAINER; A CLOSURE MEANS HAVING A THREADED HEAD PORTION ADAPTED TO MOVABLY COOPERATE WITH THE INTERNAL THREADS OF SAID FIRST PORTION OF SAID INSERT MEMBER, AND A REDUCED DIAMETER PORTION ADAPTED TO MOVE WITHIN SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID INSERT MEMBER, SAID REDUCED DIAMETER PORTION OF SAID CLOSURE MEANS INCLUDING A GROOVE THEREIN, AND MEANS ADAPTED FOR MOVING SAID CLOSURE MEANS; AND A SEAL MEMBER POSITIONED IN SAID GROOVE AND ADAPTED TO COOPERATED WITH SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID INSERT MEMBER FOR FORMING A SEAL THEREBETWEEN. 